5 days till sailing season opens! (posted by Ann)

Next Saturday we bring the boat down from winter storage, which is an all day sail down the lake from Waukegan to downtown Chicago. I'm not sure whether I'm mostly excited, and a little worried about the weather - or mostly worried about the weather, and a little excited. After a long winter of not being on the boat, I think I'm probably mostly excited. We could get 70 degree weather, which is what is called for on Wednesday, or we could get snow and 30 degrees which is what we had yesterday. Keep us in mind, Don and I will either have a great day or we'll be half-frozen. You never know!

We also have a house guest next weekend. 3rd sister is coming to Chicago for a training class, so she'll arrive Saturday afternoon. Steve is going to the airport to pick her up (it's rather convenient having him drive!) and I'm taking Monday off to hang out with her. We may go to this on Monday, and perhaps this show on Tuesday night. I've been wanting to go, but museums and shows aren't high on the list for my guys. I can't wait to see her!

I have an entire Flickr slideshow on the rest of vacation. You can follow this link, but you should get a glass of wine first. There are a lot of pictures . . .

Our best dive was a night dive. We saw two octopus, and I have a new appreciation for the word slither. They were really awesome. Some of the things you see on the reef really make you scratch your head over how exactly there could be a life form that weird, but the octopus is top on that list. They changed colors to match their surroundings, and were very aware of us watching. They are supposed to be very smart, and when we got back I found this video clip that made me glad the ones we saw were little. I didn't take my camera on the night dive, and really regretted it.

My least favorite dive was a wreck dive. I didn't think that I liked wrecks, and when we went inside this one I figured out that I really don't like like being inside them. I really, really, really don't like it. No more wreck dives for me!

Remember all the cranes? I know I told you that I finished my goal of folding 1,000, and then I started trying to figure out what to do with them. Then I found this site, with the address of where to send the cranes, so I've been stringing them in strings of 100. Of course, I want them to look color coordinated, so here is the green string.

And now, last but not least, knitting. This is a sweater for a little girl that was born about a month ago, and she already has it. I'm also working on - let's see:

Fish sweater for a little boy, baby due early May, finished except for assembly

Aran sweater for a little boy, he arrived yesterday, finished front back and one sleeve

And I need two more sweaters, one for my assistant who's due any day now with a girl. I started one for her, and it just wasn't working out so I have to go back to the drawing board. Also, another one for a lady who works next to me, who had a little girl last week.

And I have two more in the works, but a few more months for those since I just found out they are expecting. That ought to keep me out of trouble!

Looks like we'll be headed your way to look at a school for Steve. Here's the link to the school - they like Steve, and he likes them, but I'm waiting for a conditional acceptance before we spring for a trip. I do want to get him out there while they are still in session, so that means April or May. So hopefully we'll see you soon!

Let me know what else is going on for you - glad you're seeing somewhat of a thaw, I know you are really ready for summer. Me too!